Odor control atomizer utilizing ozone and water

ABSTRACT

A purification device utilizing ozone, this device comprising a body member having an internal passage through which propellant gas is constrained to flow under pressure, with the internal passage forming an outlet at a downstream location in the body member. Liquid is supplied in limited quantities to the propellant gas in the internal passage, with the introduction of the liquid into the propellant gas causing thin ribbons and threads of liquid to flow into and with the gas flowing out of the outlet and to break into fine particles. An ozone supplying conduit is disposed in a central location in the outlet, with the conduit arranged to emit ozone into the propellant gas at a location near the outlet and to create a turbulent propellant gas region downstream of the ozone conduit. The propellant gas flows around the ozone conduit at a substantial velocity and thus serves to induce the flow of ozone from the conduit. The position of the outlet of the ozone conduit with respect to the thin ribbons and threads of liquid being such that the thin ribbons and threads of liquid enter the turbulent propellant gas region as the ribbons and threads are being shredded into fine particles. The ozone in the turbulent propellant gas comes into intimate contact with the fine particles as they are created and are collapsing into spherical droplets, thus promoting the absorption of the ozone into the fine particles.

RELATION TO PREVIOUS INVENTIONS

This invention bears a distinct relationship to the following UnitedStates patents earlier issued to Darrel R. Resch and Elisha W. Erb, theco-inventors herein:

    ______________________________________                                        U.S. Pat. No.                                                                          "NEBULIZER & METHOD"                                                 3,993,246                                                                     U.S. Pat. No.                                                                          "NEBULIZER"                                                          4,018,387                                                                     U.S. Pat. No.                                                                          "PNEUMATIC NEBULIZER & METHOD"                                       4,161,281                                                                     U.S. Pat. No.                                                                          "MICROCAPILLARY NEBULIZER & METHOD"                                  4,161,282                                                                     U.S. Pat. No.                                                                          "NEBULIZER & METHOD"                                                 4,261,511                                                                     U.S. Pat. No.                                                                          "PRECISELY ADJUSTABLE ATOMIZER"                                      5,232,164                                                                     U.S. Pat. No.                                                                          "PNEUMATIC ATOMIZER HAVING IMPROVED                                  5,337,962                                                                              FLOW PATHS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THE                                                       ATOMIZATION OF LIQUIDS"                                     ______________________________________                                    

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ozone is an allotropic form of oxygen containing three oxygen atoms inthe molecule. Ozone is unstable. Its half-life in air is about twentyminutes. Inasmuch as ozone may not be stored, in order to be usefullyemployed, it must be generated on site. As to the production of ozone inuseful quantities, it may be generated by exposing dry air, or oxygen,to ultraviolet light, or to a high voltage electric field that is coronadischarging at the surface of the conductors.

Ozone, if dispersed in air, will oxidize any organic or inorganicimpurities present in the air that are susceptible to being oxidized. Ifthe impurity is an organic compound, and the oxidization process runs tocompletion, the impurity will be reduced to carbon dioxide and water.The propensity of ozone dispersed in air to oxidize impurities in theair has in the past been utilized for removing odoriferous impuritiesfrom air.

There are several advantages to using ozone to remove odors from air.The principal advantage is the simplicity of the process. All that isrequired is a closed chamber containing the air to be treated and anozone generator. A second advantage involving the use of ozone is thatthere are no filters that must periodically be cleaned and replacedinasmuch as the process does not utilize filters. A third advantage isthe end products of ozone purified air generally are carbon dioxide andwater, which are both harmless substances.

There are, however, several disadvantages to using ozone to remove odorsfrom air. The principal disadvantages are that for airborne ozone to bean effective odor control agent, the ozone must be present in the air tobe treated at a concentration of about 10 to 20 parts per million(volume), and the ozone must be approximately evenly dispersedthroughout the air. Furthermore, the ozone concentration must bemaintained until the odoriferous compounds in the air have beenoxidized.

The length of time required to remove all odor from a volume of air willnecessarily depend on the ozone concentration, the concentration of theodoriferous compounds in the air, and the nature of the compounds. Thehigher the ozone concentration in the air to be treated, the fasterodors will be removed from the air. Continuous efforts are required,however, to maintain a desired concentration of ozone in the air,because ozone's half-life in air is about twenty minutes. The output ofan ozone generator may be directed into a chamber containing air, butbecause half the ozone in the chamber will break down into molecularoxygen (O₂) in about twenty minutes, the maximum amount of ozone thatcan be achieved in the chamber will be approximately one-half the amountof ozone made by the ozone generator during the period of one hour.

To obtain a desired concentration of ozone in the chamber, the chambermust be of such size that the amount of ozone generated by the ozonegenerator during half an hour, when mathematically divided by the amountof air in the chamber, equals the desired ozone concentration. If thechamber containing the air to be purified is large compared to theoutput of the ozone generator, the ozone concentration in the chamberwill remain low, regardless of how long ozone is directed into thechamber from an ozone generator.

Other disadvantages to using airborne ozone to remove odoriferouscompounds from air are associated with the fact that an ozoneconcentration that is sufficiently high to remove odors from air withina reasonable period of time is not safe for breathing. The EnvironmentalProtection Agency has established an airborne ozone concentration of 0.5parts per million (volume) as the safe upper limit for breathable air.

Another disadvantage to using airborne ozone to remove odoriferouscompounds from air involves a time factor, for several minutes to anhour or more of reaction time is typically required for the desiredresult to be achieved. The required reaction time will depend on theozone concentration and the nature of the odorous compounds in the air.Also, a "cooling down" period may have to follow the reaction period,during which the ozone concentration is allowed to decay to less than0.5 parts per million, so as to below the safe upper limit forbreathable air.

Still another disadvantage to using airborne ozone to remove odoriferouscompounds from air is that a batch type process rather than a continuousflow of air process is involved, thus limiting this procedure to taskssuch as deodorizing a room that may be sealed for a few hours, or foruse in a confined area where humans normally would not be present, suchas the lift chamber of a sanitary sewer lift station.

Ozone is soluble in water. Ozone reacts with water to form hydrogentrioxide (HO₃) and hydroxide (OH), which in turn react to form hydrogendioxide (HO₂). Both hydrogen dioxide and hydroxide are strong oxidizers.They each react with many impurities, including microorganisms, such asbacteria and virus, destroying the impurity by oxidizing it. Thepossible achievement of these advantages readily explains why ozone isnow commonly injected into municipal water supplies as a purifier anddisinfectant.

If ozone is dissolved into water and the resulting mixture is sprayedinto air as a fine aqueous mist, the ozone/water combination will almostimmediately remove all odors from the air. The process is synergistic.Dissolving a given amount of ozone into water and then spraying theozone containing water into a given amount of air will remove odors fromthe air many times faster than spraying pure water into the air orflowing the same amount of ozone directly into the same amount of air.The reaction is very fast because the ozone dissolved into the waterreacts with the water to form hydrogen dioxide and hydroxide. Hydrogendioxide and hydroxide, both of which are oxidizers, react very fast atthe surface of the water spray's water droplets with any impurities inthe air.

It is important to understand that spraying water containing dissolvedozone into air as very fine droplets as a means for removing impuritiesin the air has some major advantages over simply flowing ozone into theair to be purified. The reaction between the spray and any impurities inthe air is very quick. The odor removal process may, for example, becarried out in a duct carrying a continuous flow of air to be purified.Also, because ozone, upon dissolving into water, reacts quickly with thewater to form hydrogen trioxide and hydroxide, which in turn react toform hydrogen dioxide, there is little ozone remaining in the water tobubble out of the spray. This serves to alleviate concerns that thetreated air might be a health hazard because of it containing in excessof 0.5 parts per million of ozone.

In order to be able to spray fine droplets of water containing ozoneinto the air in order to remove impurities from the air, it is necessaryto first cause ozone to be absorbed in proper quantities into the waterto be sprayed. Ozone can be dissolved into water by bringing gaseousozone into contact with the water. The speed with which a given quantityof gaseous ozone will be absorbed by water depends on several factors,one being the size of the contact surface between the gaseous ozone andthe water. The greater the contact area, the greater the speed at whichthe ozone is absorbed by the water.

A fine spray of liquid has a very large surface area for the volume ofliquid contained in the spray. Ozone may be quickly dissolved into waterby spraying a fine spray of water into an atmosphere containing ozone.The total surface area of the fine water droplets increases as the sizeof the water droplets decreases. Ozone in an atmosphere into which finewater droplets are being sprayed will be removed from the atmosphere anddissolved into the water droplets very quickly if the water droplets arevery small and there is churning contact between the atmosphere and thewater droplets.

The pneumatic atomizers of Erb and Resch, U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,246; Erband Resch, U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,387; Erb and Resch, U.S. Pat. No.4,161,281; Erb and Resch, U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,282; Erb and Resch, U.S.Pat. No. 4,261,511; Erb and Resch, U.S. Pat. 5,232,164 and Erb andResch, U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,962 all involve elements that produce a thinliquid filaments or thin liquid ribbons and introduce the thin ribbonsor filaments to an adjacent high speed flow of propellant gas. The thinribbons or filaments of liquid are entrained into the flowing gas asthin ribbons or filaments of liquid, that are drawn out into elongatedribbons and threads that break up into smaller ribbons and threads ofliquid, that in turn are drawn out and elongated by the propellant gasand break up into even smaller ribbons and threads. The foregoingdrawings out, elongating and breaking up of the threads and ribbons ofliquid repeats and continues until the liquid is in very small threads,ribbons, and irregular particles, which very small threads, ribbons andirregular particles collapse into spherical droplets. All of theforegoing takes place in the above identified pneumatic atomizersslightly downstream in the flowing propellant gas from the locationwhere the thin liquid ribbons or filaments of liquid are introduced tothe propellant gas.

It is of course known that a spherical liquid droplet has a smallersurface area than the same volume of liquid in any other shape. Forexample, a drop of liquid in the form of a thread has greater surfacearea than the same drop has after the drop has collapsed into aspherical droplet. The liquid in the thin ribbons or filaments of liquidentrained in the propellant gas flowing out of the above identifiedpneumatic atomizers has its greatest surface-area-to-volume ratio wherethe small threads, and ribbons of liquid described above are breaking upinto irregular particles, which irregular particles collapse into smallspherical droplets. The place where that occurs in the above-identifiedpneumatic atomizers is slightly downstream in the flowing propellant gasfrom the location where the thin liquid ribbon or filament is introducedto the flowing gas. The fact that the greatest surface-area-to-volumeratio of the liquid being atomized occurs slightly downstream in theflowing propellant gas from where the thin liquid ribbon or filament isintroduced to the flowing gas is important to the instant inventionbecause gas absorption into a liquid can only occur on the surface ofthe liquid, and the greater the surface area of a given quantity ofliquid, the faster the gas is absorbed into the liquid.

A thread of liquid or any other irregular shaped particle of liquid hasareas, many areas, that curve more acutely than the curve of the surfaceof a spherical droplet containing the same volume of liquid. The partsof the surface of the liquid thread or irregular particle with suchacute curves are unstable. The surface tension forces acting on thesurface of the liquid in such areas and the internal pressure forces ofthe liquid in such areas are not balanced. This imbalance is the sourceof the force that causes a thread or irregular particle of liquid tocollapse into a sphere. This is important to the subject inventionbecause it appears that a gas, such as ozone, if introduced to theribbons, threads or irregular particles of liquid that exist in theabove-identified pneumatic atomizers just downstream from where thefilament of liquid is introduced to the flowing propellant gas, will berapidly absorbed into the ribbons, threads and irregular particles ofliquid. This absorption will occur much faster than otherwise because ofthe aforementioned imbalance.

If the objective of the instant invention was simply to introduce ozoneto water by means of a pneumatic atomizer with the intent that the waterabsorb ozone, and that the ozone-bearing water, in the form of finedroplets, be exposed to air to be decontaminated, the objective couldhave been achieved by using an already known pneumatic atomizer andcausing the propellant gas to be a mixture of air and ozone. Such amethod or device is not practical for introducing ozone into water bythe use of a pneumatic atomizer inasmuch as ozone corrodes the surfaceof everything with which it comes into contact, excepting only verystable, non-reactive materials such as glass and certain stainlesssteels.

Thus it is to be seen that the highly corrosive nature of ozone makes itdifficult to pressurize or propel ozone for use as the propellant gas ina conventional pneumatic atomizer, with it also being difficult to ductthe ozone containing propellant gas to the pneumatic nozzle.Furthermore, a pneumatic nozzle used in this manner would need to bemade from materials that ozone will not corrode, which of courserepresents a great challenge.

A second difficulty that prevents using a mixture of air and ozone asthe propellant gas in known pneumatic atomizers is the ozone will beapproximately evenly distributed throughout the propellant gas in suchatomizers. Unfortunately, the region in the downstream propellant gaswhere the propellant gas breaks up the liquid into small droplets doesnot occupy the entire downstream flow of the propellant gas. Some of thepropellant gas will bypass the region in which the liquid is beingbroken up into small droplets. The ozone in the propellant gas thatbypasses the region where the liquid is being drawn out and broken intoirregular particles will not be absorbed by the liquid. Not having beenexposed to the liquid, this will result in undesired unabsorbed ozonedownstream.

A third difficulty that prevents using a mixture of air and ozone as thepropellant gas in known pneumatic atomizers is the propellant gas inmany such atomizers exits the atomizer as an essentially smooth flow andis flowing as an essentially smooth flow where it breaks up the liquidinto fine droplets. It is highly advantageous that there be turbulencein the propellant gas-ozone mixture where the propellant gas breaks upthe liquid into small droplets because turbulence will cause thepropellant gas-ozone mixture to come into churning contact with thesmall liquid droplets as they are being formed, resulting in the ozonein the propellant gas being in intimate contact with the liquid when theliquid is most receptive to absorbing the ozone.

The instant invention may be used to create fine droplets of watercontaining absorbed ozone being carried away from the device as a mistby a propellant gas that is essentially free of unabsorbed ozone, whichmist may be directed into an atmosphere containing impurities in orderthat the impurities be removed.

The instant invention may also be used as an efficient means for masstransfer of ozone into water or other liquid by flowing water or theother liquid through the instant invention, and collecting the resultingfine droplets in a sump. An example of the foregoing use of the instantinvention is the removal of metal ions from a solution by flowing thesolution through instant invention, whereby the metal ions will beoxidized by the ozone absorbed into the solution as it passes throughthe invention. The resulting droplets are collected in a sump, and theoxidized metal ions are allowed to precipitate out of the solution.

The instant invention is particularly useful for removing what iscommonly called sewer gas from air. Sewer gas is generated in sewerpipes by natural biological processes acting on domestic waste andreactions of industrial wastes. Sewer gas consists principally ofhydrogen sulfide (H₂ S) and organic and inorganic hydrocarbons. Sewergas is naturally present at a sewer line's outlet, such as the receivingchamber of a waste water treatment plant or the receiving chamber of awaste water pumping station. If not controlled, the sewer gas will flowinto the atmosphere, causing unpleasant odors downwind.

Waste water treatment systems currently in use control sewer gas byadding chemicals that prevent the occurrence of the natural processesthat generate the sewer gas, such as Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), to thewaste water at or near the upstream end of a sewer line. This isnecessarily expensive, because of the cost of the chemicals. Other knownwaste water treatment systems control sewer gas by using air scrubbersspraying solutions of chemicals. This procedure also is expensivebecause of the cost of the chemicals used in the solution, which must beconstantly replenished.

In general, the waste water treatment industry has attempted to useozone to control sewer gas, but without success because of limitationsdue to the short half-life of ozone, as discussed above, and because theindustry has not in the past had an efficient, simple and low energymeans for introducing ozone into water.

It was to overcome the manifest problems of the prior art that thevarious embodiments of the instant invention were evolved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention involves a pneumatic atomizer or purificationdevice that creates in unenclosed open space, so as to avoid corrosiondifficulties discussed above, the following conditions:

within a propellant gas drawing out fine ribbons and threads of liquidand shredding them into fine particles of liquid which collapse intofine droplets, thereby conditioning the liquid for the prompt absorptionof ozone;

ozone is present in the central part of the propellant gas flowingdownstream of the device;

all of that part of the downstream flowing propellant gas that containsozone is turbulent, thereby causing the ozone to be quickly and evenlydispersed throughout such region. The turbulent region of the flowingpropellant gas is hereinafter called the "Turbulent Propellant GasRegion" and will be discussed in greater detail below; and

the fine ribbons and threads of liquid enter the Turbulent PropellantGas Region just as the liquid is being shredded into fine particles andcollapsing into fine droplets, whereby the ozone in the TurbulentPropellant Gas Region comes into violent intimate contact with the fineliquid particles as the fine liquid particles are being formed, withresultant almost instantaneous absorption of the ozone by the fineliquid particles and almost total removal of the unabsorbed ozone fromthe downstream propellant gas.

This invention utilizing ozone in a fine liquid mist for thepurification of air involves a device comprising a body member having aninternal passage through which propellant gas is constrained to flowunder pressure, with such internal passage forming an outlet at adownstream location in the body member. Means are provided in theinternal passage for supplying limited quantities of liquid, typicallywater, into the propellant gas, with the introduction of the liquid intothe propellant gas causing thin ribbons and threads of liquid to flowinto and with the gas flowing out of the outlet. An ozone supplyingconduit is disposed in a central location in the outlet, with theconduit arranged to emit ozone into the propellant gas near the outlet.The propellant gas flows around the ozone supplying conduit at asubstantial velocity and thus draws ozone from the conduit and createsturbulence in the propellant gas downstream of the ozone conduit. Thelocation of the outlet of the ozone emitting conduit is such with regardto the thin ribbons and threads that these thin ribbons and threads ofliquid enter the turbulence as they are breaking up into fine particles.The ozone in the turbulent gas comes into intimate contact with theliquid as it breaks apart into fine particles, thus promoting theabsorption of the ozone by the fine liquid particles and therebycreating a mist of ozone in a propellant gas that is substantially freeof unabsorbed ozone, thus being suitable for injection into the air tobe purified.

It is to be noted that the ozone is emitted from the ozone-supplyingconduit into the center of the propellant gas flow at a lesser velocitythan the velocity of the propellant gas, with the difference between thevelocities of the ozone and the propellant gas causing the propellantgas in a small finite volume of space adjacent the outlet of theozone-supplying conduit to spin and thus cause a substantially constantprocession of spinning and swirling volumes of the gas and ozone mixturethat enlarges and occupies a region of the propellant gas as they movedownstream. The region we identify above as the "Turbulent PropellantGas Region" is the region in which the foregoing constant procession ofspinning and swirling occurs. Various means are utilized for providing athin ribbon or thread of liquid adjacent the outlet from the bodymember, to which means a relatively small quantity of liquid issupplied. The flow of propellant gas in the vicinity of the thin ribbonor thread of liquid draws the thin ribbon or thread of liquid from theliquid supplying means into the propellant gas. The thin ribbon orthread of liquid, upon entering the propellant gas, is drawn out andelongated by the flowing propellant gas. The Turbulent Propellant GasRegion, the region containing the turbulent ozone-gas mixture, envelopesthe thin ribbon or thread of liquid as it is being shredded into fineirregular shaped particles of liquid, which irregular particles collapsewithin the Turbulent Propellant Gas Region into fine spherical liquiddroplets, with this serving to bring the turbulent propellant gas andozone mixture in the Turbulent Propellant Gas Region into close,churning contact with such ribbons and threads of liquid as the ribbonsand threads are shredded into fine irregular particles of liquid thatcollapse into fine spherical droplets. In a highly effective manner, theozone is absorbed into the fine liquid droplets, with theozone-containing droplets being entrained in the propellant gas. Thesedroplets are thereafter introduced into the air to be purified, with theunabsorbed ozone being substantially removed from the propellant gas.

The outlet of the ozone gas conduit is positioned with regard to thethin streams and ribbons of liquid is positioned such that the placewhere the fine ribbons and threads of liquid break apart into irregularfine particles and collapse into fine droplets is within theaforementioned Turbulent Propellant Gas Region. The advantage of thisarrangement is that the liquid is most receptive to absorbing the ozonewhile the liquid is being broken into fine particles and the fineparticles are collapsing into spherical droplets. The ozone is readilyabsorbed into the liquid when the ozone is well dispersed throughout theregion in which the liquid is breaking up into fine particles and is inchurning contact with the liquid as the liquid is breaking up into fineparticles. The result of causing the liquid to be most receptive toabsorbing ozone and causing the ozone to be most receptive to beingabsorbed by the liquid, is most of the ozone is promptly absorbed by theliquid, leaving the downstream propellant gas substantially free ofunabsorbed ozone.

The preferred embodiment of the invention for generating a thin ribbonor thread of liquid for introduction to the turbulent propellantgas-ozone mixture involves first and second closely spaced smoothsurfaces, with an edge of the first surface being disposed closelyadjacent the propellant gas flowing through the gas outlet in the mannerof Erb and Resch U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,164 with the second surface setback from the edge of the first surface such that a filming surface isdefined on the downstream side of the first surface. The pair of closelyspaced smooth surfaces are disposed in a parallel relationship with avery small spacing existing between the surfaces. Means are provided fordirecting a thin ribbon of a suitable liquid onto the filming surface,which typically involves directing water under pressure into the spacebetween the closely spaced smooth surfaces, such that the water emits asa thin film along the edge of the second surface and onto the filmingsurface which thin film is drawn across the filming surface toward thepropellant gas flowing through the gas outlet. The ozone conduit passesthrough the center of the gas outlet and terminates just upstream of thelocation where, if it were extended further downstream, it would bewetted by the liquid in the propellant gas.

The instant invention may utilize other means for generating a thinribbon or thread of liquid for introduction to the propellant gas as thepropellant gas leaves the propellant gas outlet, such as that disclosedin Erb and Resch, U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,962 and Erb and Resch, U.S. Pat.No. 3,993,246.

As will be seen in considerable detail hereinafter, the presentinvention provides a highly effective method for purifying air utilizinga nozzle through which a suitable propellant gas flows at a relativelyhigh velocity, with ozone gas being inserted into the flow of thepropellant gas at a central location with regard to the out flowingpropellant gas at a point that is slightly downstream of the outlet ofthe nozzle. This arrangement prevents the highly corrosive ozone cominginto contact with the nozzle components and causes prompt turbulentmixing of the ozone with the propellant gas within a region of thepropellant gas downstream from where the ozone is introduced into theTurbulent Propellant Gas Region. Means are provided in the nozzle forcausing fine ribbons and threads of liquid to flow into the turbulentregion, where the ribbons and threads of liquid are shattered into fineparticles that collapse into spherical droplets while within theturbulent region, with the turbulent propellant gas-ozone mixture thatis within the region being in churning contact with the liquid as theliquid droplets are being formed, such that the ozone in the mixturewill be rapidly absorbed into the liquid droplets. The ozone ladenliquid is then exposed as fine droplets to the air to be purified.

Now somewhat more specifically, it is to be seen that the preferredembodiment of our novel method for purifying air involves flowing apropellant gas through a nozzle, with ozone being supplied through acentral conduit whose outlet is slightly downstream of the propellantgas outlet. Quite advantageously, the flow of propellant gas serves toinduce ozone to flow out of the ozone conduit. This arrangement makes itunnecessary for the ozone to be pressurized, thus eliminating thepumping difficulty that would ensue if it was necessary to supply ozoneunder pressure to the ozone conduit. This arrangement also causes promptdownstream mixing of the ozone with the propellant gas within theTurbulent Propellant Gas Region. The propellant gas also draws theliquid to be atomized present at the edge of the propellant gas conduitinto the propellant gas in such a manner that the liquid is drawn out asthin ribbons and threads. The place where the liquid is introduced tothe propellant gas is so located with regard to the Turbulent PropellantGas Region that the resultant thin ribbons and threads of liquid enterthe Turbulent Propellant Gas Region just as the thin ribbons and threadsof liquid are breaking apart into fine irregular liquid particles, sothat the ozone comes into close turbulent contact with the liquid as theliquid is being atomized, resulting in highly efficient absorption ofthe ozone by the liquid. The fine irregular liquid particles collapseinto spherical droplets and thereafter are dispersed in a highlyeffective manner into the air to be purified.

A further significant aspect of this invention involves a novel methodfor removing metal ions from a flowable solution comprising the steps offlowing ozone through a conduit, exposing the outflow of the ozoneconduit to the flowable solution as the solution is being shattered by apropellant gas into fine droplets slightly downstream from the outlet ofthe ozone conduit, with the ozone being brought into churning contactwith the fine droplets as they are being formed, whereby the ozone isabsorbed into the solution and oxidizes the metal ions. The finedroplets are collected and the oxidized metal ions are precipitated outof the solution.

An additional aspect of this invention involves a novel method forabsorbing ozone into water comprising the steps of flowing ozone througha conduit, exposing the outflow of the ozone conduit to water as thewater is being shattered by a propellant gas into fine droplets slightlydownstream from the outlet of the ozone conduit, with the ozone beingbrought into churning contact with the fine droplets as they are beingformed, whereby the ozone is absorbed into the water. The fine dropletsare subsequently collected.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a nozzle ofinexpensive construction that generates a fine, ozone-containing liquidmist carried in air that is essentially free of unabsorbed ozone, thusbeing highly suitable for deodorizing purposes.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a multi-fluidnozzle utilizing a propellant gas under pressure that serves to providea highly desirable mixing of ozone with at least some of the propellantgas, with the ozone being induced to flow from an ozone-supplyingconduit located slightly downstream of the nozzle's outlet, therebyeliminating a need for any pumping to bring about the flow of ozone fromthe conduit and effectively preventing the corrosive effect of the ozoneupon nozzle components. This arrangement induces downstream turbulencein the flowing propellant gas and thereby brings about a promptdistribution of the ozone and mixing with the propellant gas within theturbulent region.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a nozzle having aninternal passage terminating in at least one outlet, through whichpassage a propellant gas is constrained to flow, with an ozone-supplyingconduit located in the center of the gas flowing through the outletslightly downstream of the outlet, with the flow of propellant gasthrough the outlet serving to entrain ozone and to cause a thoroughmixing of the ozone with the propellant gas within the TurbulentPropellant Gas Region, with the ozone-containing gas thereafter cominginto contact with ribbons and threads of liquid as they are drawn outand shredded into fine liquid particles that collapse into finedroplets, such that the droplets absorb the ozone and theozone-containing droplets are entrained into the propellant gas andthereafter are introduced into the air to be purified.

It is a yet further object of the primary embodiment of our invention todefine a device for purifying air by the use of ozone, with such devicecomprising a body member having an internal passage for the flowtherethrough of a propellant gas, with an ozone-supplying conduitcentrally located in the outward flowing propellant gas such that thepropellant gas emitting from the body member will aspirate ozone fromthe conduit and mix intimately therewith in a region downstream of theozone conduit, with the device also having a filming surface disposedclosely adjacent the outward flow of propellant gas, upon which a thinfilm of water can be directed, with the flow of propellant gas drawingwater from the filming surface into the propellant gas as ribbons andthreads of liquid, which ribbons and threads enter the place where ozoneand propellant gas are present, with the ozone in the propellant gas atsuch place being absorbed in a highly effective manner into the fineliquid droplets as the liquid is being atomized.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device for purifyingair by the utilization of ozone provided in a fine liquid or aqueousmist, with this device comprising a body member having an internalpassage for the flow of propellant gas therethrough, with this passageterminating in at least one outlet in which an ozone-supplying conduitis centrally disposed, with the propellant gas serving to draw ozonefrom the conduit and into the gas, with a constant procession ofspinning and swirling volumes of the gas and ozone mixture tending toenlarge as it moves downstream, with a means for supplying a relativelysmall quantity of liquid into the propellant gas as thin ribbons andthreads of liquid that are drawn out and shredded into fine irregularparticles of liquid that collapse into fine droplets and also bringingthe spinning and swirling mixture of propellant gas and ozone intochurning contact with such ribbons and threads of liquid as the ribbonsand threads are drawn out and shredded in fine irregular particles thatcollapse into fine droplets, with the ozone being absorbed into the fineliquid droplets, which ozone-containing droplets are entrained into thepropellant gas and thereafter introduced into the air to be purified.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become moreapparent as the description proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a primary embodiment of our novel device forpurifying air by the use of ozone, with this embodiment beingillustrated partly in section in order to reveal significant internalconstruction;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the throat section of the primaryembodiment of our invention, including the filming surface as well asthe centrally disposed ozone-supplying conduit;

FIG. 3 is a large scale view revealing the important relationship of theinteraction of ozone from the ozone-supplying conduit with thepropellant gas flowing through the body member of our device and alsorevealing the region of turbulence in the propellant gas that we referto as the Turbulent Propellant Gas Region, with the infusion of liquidinto the ozone-gas mixture being deliberately omitted in this instancein the interests of clarity; and

FIG. 4 is a view to a large scale illustrating how liquid such as wateris drawn from the filming surface into the propellant gas as ribbons andthreads of liquid, with this view also illustrating the area in whichozone-gas mixture is in churning contact with such ribbons and threadsof liquid as the ribbons and threads collapse into fine droplets, withthe ozone being absorbed into the fine liquid droplets preparatory tobeing introduced into the air to be purified.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With initial reference to FIG. 1, it will there be seen that we haverevealed a principal embodiment of our invention, involving a device 10provided for the purification of air by utilizing ozone contained in afine liquid mist. The device 10, which involves a presentation of thecomponents of our device in an exploded relationship, involves theutilization of a body member 12 having an internal passage or gasconduit 14 through which propellant gas is constrained to flow. Thisinternal passage 14 is configured to form a converging type nozzle 16that accommodates the flow of air or some other gas able to properlyserve as a propellant gas.

The gas conduit 14 has an outlet 20 passing through a pair of closelyspaced smooth surfaces, first surface 36 and second surface 46, andterminates adjacent the first surface 36. The smooth surfaces 36 and 46are disposed in a parallel relationship, with a very small spacingexisting between the surfaces as will be apparent from an inspection ofFIG. 2.

The first smooth surface 36 is disposed in a substantially perpendicularrelationship to the gas outlet 20, with an edge of the first surface 36being disposed closely adjacent the propellant gas flowing through thegas outlet 20. The circularly configured edge of the second smoothsurface 46 is set back from the circularly configured edge of the firstsurface, as made clear in FIG. 2, such that a filming surface F isdefined on the downstream side of the first surface 36, adjacent theradially inward edge of the first surface; note FIGS. 2 through 4. Theimportance of the positioning of the filming surface F will be madeclear hereinafter.

Also to be noted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an ozone-supplying conduit 32centrally disposed within the gas outlet 20, with the conduit 32 servingthe function, basic to this invention, of emitting ozone at a desiredlocation within the gas flowing through the gas outlet. It is mostimportant to note that the outlet of conduit 32 is located slightlydownstream of the gas outlet 20 and the filming surface F.

This particular location of the outlet of the ozone-supplying conduit ishighly desirable for two reasons, the first being it is intended thatthe ozone come into association with the propellant gas as thepropellant gas exits from the exterior of the nozzle. The reason forthis construction is that if the ozone were to come into associationwith the propellant gas within the shell of the nozzle, the ozone gaswould likely come into contact with parts of the nozzle and cause thecorrosion thereof. This is of course distinct from known prior artpneumatic atomizers wherein it is frequently customary for awithin-the-shell-of-the-nozzle contact to exist between the gasespassing through the nozzle.

The second reason that having the outlet of the ozone-supplying conduitoutlet be centrally disposed within the gas outlet 20 slightlydownstream is that if the outlet is at this location it will cause whatmay be regarded as the central part of the propellant gas downstream ofthe outlet to be turbulent, which is important to the instant inventionand will be discussed at length hereinafter. The particular placement ofthe outlet of the ozone-emitting conduit 32 with respect to the nozzleis a key feature of this invention and will of course be discussed asthe description proceeds.

With regard to the basic construction of the device 10, it will be seenin FIG. 1 that the body member 12 may be secured, for example, to aconduit or supply duct 18 through which air or another gas underrelatively low pressure may be supplied to the converging nozzle 16 ofthe body member 12. The securing of the body member to the conduit orduct may be accomplished by the use of one or more lock screws 19.

Relatively fine external threads 22 encircle the upper exterior portionof the body member 12. These external threads 22 are designed to receivean internally threaded cap 24, whose internal threads 26 are created soas to engage the threads 22 when the cap 24 is screwed onto the body 12.Inasmuch as for reasons of clarity, we have shown the cap 24 in anexploded relationship to the body member 12 in FIG. 1, it will bereadily seen that there is a central hole or aperture 40 in the cap 24that is essentially in alignment with the internal passage 14 in thebody 12, and with the converging nozzle 16 and the gas outlet 20.

An O-ring 34 is mounted in a suitable circumferential indentation on thebody 12, to assure a fluid-tight seal between the body 12 and cap 24.Note in FIG. 1 the preferable placement of the O-ring 34 below thethreads 22, at a location in which it will be inside the skirt position28 of the cap 24. FIG. 2 should be noted in this regard, wherein the cap24 is shown in assembled relation on the body 12.

It will be readily observed from FIG. 1 that the previously mentionedtoroidally-shaped smooth surface 36 extends entirely around the gasoutlet 20 of the body 12, and is smooth. The innermost portion of thesmooth surface 36 resides upon a small, abrupt jut into the internal orgas conduit passage 14, and is perpendicular thereto. We prefer toregard this part of the gas outlet 20 as a sharp edge orifice 30. Therelationship of the peripheral contour of the orifice 30 to thegenerally columnar flow of propellant gas through this orifice will bediscussed at length hereinafter.

It is also apparent from FIG. 1 that a steeply angled surface 42 extendsentirely around the outer periphery of the flat, toroidally-shapedsurface 36, with the upper edge of the angled surface 42 terminating atthe outer periphery of the toroidal surface 36, and the lower edge ofthe angled surface 42 terminating near the upper edge of the previouslymentioned external threads 22.

Around the upper interior portion of the cap 24 is what has beenpreviously identified as the second smooth, toroidally-shaped surface46, this latter surface being parallel to the first surface 36, asmentioned earlier. The surface 46 is of course able to be brought intoclose contact with the first surface 36 at such time as the cap 24 hasbeen screwed relatively tightly onto the body member 12, with itsthreads 26 engaging the threads 22 on the body. FIG. 2 reveals the firsttoroidally-shaped surface 36 and the second toroidally-shaped surface 46in a very close, parallel relationship during operation of this device,typically spaced apart between 0.002 and 0.020 inches. Also revealed inFIG. 2 are passage 84 and nozzle 86, through which the propellant gas isconstrained to flow.

Also to be noted in the principal embodiment of our inventionillustrated in FIG. 1 is inlet 54, disposed on the sidewall of the bodymember 12, by means of which liquid is admitted to the body. If ourdevice is being utilized for odor control or to purify water, water isthe liquid we utilize. If the invention is being used to remove ionsfrom a liquid, another liquid may be used instead of water.

The liquid admitted to inlet 54 travels through upwardly ascendingpassage 56 that terminates in an opening 58 located con the previouslymentioned angled surface 42. The liquid is then extruded onto the firstsurface 36 at a location interior of the cap 24. The column ofpropellant gas flowing through the converging nozzle 16 serves to pickup ribbons and threads of liquid flowing from between the surfaces 36and 46 and onto the previously-described filming surface F.

It is to be understood that a radially inward flow of fluid from theopening 58 is intended to take place from between the surfaces 36 and 46when these surfaces have been brought closely together, so the fact thatthe distance between the surfaces can be precisely changed by carefulrotation of the cap 24 with respect to the body 12 is of significance.We prefer to use threads on the inside surface of the cap 24 that aresufficiently fine that one-half turn of the cap 24 changes the spacingbetween the surface 36 and 46 by only 0.020 inches.

To aid the precise setting of the cap 24 with respect to the body 12, weprovide calibrations 50 that in FIG. 1 are to be seen at carefullyspaced locations around the skirt 28 of the cap 24, which calibrationsare to be used in conjunction with a mark or reference point 52 placedat an appropriate location on the body 12. This arrangement makes itreadily possible for the operator or user to closely control theextruding of a flowable liquid between the surfaces 36 and 46, towardthe internal passage 14 through the body 12, where the column ofpropellant gas flowing through the converging nozzle 16 serves to pickup the ribbons and threads of the liquid flowing onto the filmingsurface F.

The molecules of every liquid adhere one to another to some extent. Thismutual adhesion is what prevents the liquid being a gas and dissipating.When some of the liquid on surface 36 near the central, sharp edgeorifice 30 is drawn off surface 36 by the propellant gas, the adhesionof the liquid being drawn off with the remaining liquid on the surface36 draws the remaining liquid toward orifice 30, with each molecule ofliquid on surface 36 pulling the molecule of liquid radially behind ittoward orifice 30. The liquid on surface 36 would draw liquid out fromwithin the space between surfaces 36 and 46 if it were not for capillaryattraction, the propensity of the liquid's molecules to adhere to someextent to surfaces 36 and 46, and therefore want to stay in the spacebetween surfaces 36 and 46. If surface 36 and 46 are set sufficientlyclose to each other, the effective strength of the liquid's capillaryattraction to such surfaces will be stronger than the effective strengthof the mutual adhesion of the liquid to itself drawing the liquid acrosssurface 36, with the result that liquid will be available for beingdrawn across the filming surface F only at the rate at which liquid isexpressed from between surfaces 36 and 46 by the push of the liquidbeing supplied through inlet 54.

Liquid is not drawn out from within the space between abutting parallelsurfaces 36 and 46 if the two surfaces are set sufficiently close to oneanother. The consequence of the foregoing is, if the liquid is suppliedthrough inlet 54 at a rate that is less than the rate at which thepropellant gas is capable of drawing liquid from the entire inner edgeof central orifice 30 in surface 36, the liquid is drawn, not pushed,across the filming surface, from the space between surfaces 36 and 46 tocentral orifice 30. As a result, the liquid crosses the filming surfaceF as distinct ribbons and threads, as shown in FIG. 4.

Further regarding the embodiment of our invention principally depictedin FIG. 1, we configure the interior of the cap 24 to have an enlargedportion extending around the full inner circumference of the cap, andbecause of the creation of the angled surface 42 on the upper edge ofthe body 12, we have in effect created a plenum 48 around the outercircumferential edges of the abutting parallel surfaces 36 and 46, whichplenum is visible in FIG. 2.

We typically maintain the liquid pressure in plenum 48 on the order of0.01 to 1 pounds per square inch, and as a result, the liquid is causedto be extruded between the closely spaced surfaces 36 and 46 at a ratedetermined by the tightness with which the cap 24 has been applied uponthe body 12.

It is thus to be seen that we have provided in accordance with thispreferred embodiment of our invention, an arrangement for directing afluid, such as water under pressure, into the space between the abuttingsmooth surfaces 36 and 46 so as to cause the water to emit from betweenthe abutting surfaces, from which place the liquid is drawn toward thepropellant gas flowing through the gas outlet. From the foregoing itshould be clear that this liquid is drawn as thin ribbons and threadsacross the filming surface F identified in FIG. 2.

With continuing reference to FIG. 2, it is to be noted that member 94 isa cross-sectional representation of a cap corresponding to cap 24 ofFIG. 1. It is to be understood the innermost portion of the toroidalsurface 36 is not covered by member 94, and it is appropriate to regardthis non-covered surface as the previously-mentioned filming surface F.the member 94 has an undersurface corresponding to the toroidally-shapedsurface 46 of the cap 24 illustrated in FIG. 1, and this undersurfacemay be regarded as the second radially extending surface. In the middleof the member 94 is a central orifice or aperture 98, which isnoticeably larger than the diameter of the orifice 90.

With particular reference now to FIG. 3, it is to be understood that thevelocity of the gas flowing near the perimeter of the outlet of thenozzle 86 will be almost identical to the velocity of the gas flowingcloser to the center of the nozzle outlet. Because the outlet's outputimmediately flows through the sharp edge orifice 90 that projects ashort distance into the outlet of the nozzle, we have found that thevelocity of the gas flowing near the perimeter of the orifice is almostidentical to the velocity of the gas flowing closer to the center of theorifice.

The series of upwardly pointing arrows appearing in the circumferentialportions of FIG. 3 may be regarded as representing the velocity anddirection of the flowing propellant gas through the nozzle 86, withthese arrows being all very nearly the same length to connote thesubstantially identical velocities of the propellant gas prior to thepropellant gas coming into contact with the ozone.

It is to be noted that in FIG. 3 we utilize a configuration in which theorifice in the filming surface forms an abrupt small jut or projection102 into the outlet from the nozzle. Quite advantageously, the provisionof the sharp edge orifice 90 deflects the gas flow, as will be discussedat greater length hereinafter, but it does not to any consequentialdegree block the flow of gas through the orifice.

It is worthwhile to reemphasize in the instant atomizer depicted in FIG.3, that the cross-sectional area and shape of the orifice 90 through thefilming surface F is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area andshape of the outlet of the converging nozzle 86, thereby forming theaforementioned lip or jut 102 that we regard as significant to thisprimary embodiment of this invention.

One of the important consequences of passing a fluid through a sharpedge orifice, with resulting deflection of the flowing gas, is theformation of a vena contracta. By definition, the cross-sectional areaof the flow of the gas envelope EA, represented by a series of closelyspaced dashes in FIG. 3, will be less at the vena contracta than thecross-sectional area at the orifice, and also less than the area at adownstream location in the gas flow. Because of the foregoing, the gasflowing through the sharp edged orifice 90 will desirably not come intodirect contact with the sides of the orifice.

Applying the foregoing to the primary embodiment of this invention, ifthe sides of the orifice are sufficiently short, that is, the thicknessof lip 102 is sufficiently thin in the flow direction depicted in theembodiment of FIG. 3, the gas flowing through the orifice 90 will not bein contact with the edge of the orifice as the flow exits the downstreamside of the orifice. Therefore, because the gas exiting the filmingsurface side of the orifice 90 is not in contact with the sides of theorifice, the gas advantageously does not come into contact with theliquid lying on the filming surface F. Rather, the only liquid theflowing gas comes into contact with are the ribbons and threads ofliquid that are being drawn from the filming surface F and entrainedinto the flowing gas.

Because the column of gas flowing out of the orifice 90 does not comesinto direct, touching contact with the liquid on the filming surface F,the flowing gas in the representation of this embodiment advantageouslydoes not cause the liquid on the filming surface to form what may bedescribed as a highly undesirable rolling wave or ridge around the edgeof the orifice.

From FIG. 3 it will be noted that the ozone-supplying conduit 32 ispositioned near the center of the sharp edged orifice 90. The outlet ofozone conduit 32 is, quite importantly, slightly downstream in thepropellant gas emanating from the orifice 90, but not so far downstreamthat it is wetted by the liquid being atomized by the device.

The series of upwardly pointing arrows in the interior of theozone-supplying conduit 32 may be regarded as representing the velocityand direction of the flowing ozone, with these arrows being all verynearly the same length. It is important to understand that the arrows inthe interior of the conduit 32 are much shorter than the propellant gasarrows depicted along the outside of the conduit 32 inasmuch as theozone leaves the ozone conduit with much less velocity than the velocityof the propellant gas flowing through the nozzle 86 and the sharp edgedorifice 90.

With regard to the gas in the small finite volume of space just abovethe lip of the ozone conduit 32, it is to be noted that we haveidentified a small volume of gas in FIG. 3 as LS1 (Left Swirl 1) justabove the left side of the lip of the conduit, and as RS1 (RightSwirl 1) just above the right side of the lip of the conduit 32. Theedge of the gas in the small finite volume of space that adjoins theozone flowing out of the ozone conduit 32 is in contact with therelatively slow velocity ozone, whereas the edge of the gas adjoiningthe propellant gas flowing out of orifice 90 is in contact with the fastflowing propellant gas. The difference between the velocity of the ozoneand the velocity of the propellant gas in contact with opposite sides ofthe gas in the small finite volume of space LS1 and RS1 causes the gasto spin. The spin of the gas in the small finite volume of space LS1 andRS1 is such that the gas closest to the lip of the conduit 32 is movingradially outward, whereas the gas in such volume furthest from the lipis moving radially inward. This is illustrated in FIG. 3 where smallarrowheads associated with LS1 connote a clockwise spin, whereas thearrowheads associated with RS1, on the right side of the ozone conduit'soutlet, indicate that the flow is counterclockwise.

The velocity of the ozone flowing out of the ozone conduit 32 and, moreimportantly, the velocity of the propellant gas flowing out of orifice90 adjacent ozone conduit 32, both of which have contact with thespinning gas in the small finite volume of space, encourage the spinninggas to move downstream. This is represented on the left side in FIG. 3by LS1, LS3, LS5 and LS6, and on the right side by RS1, RS4, RS5 andRS6.

As each spinning small volume of gas moves downstream it is replaced bya new volume of gas just above the lip of the ozone conduit 32, whichreplacement volume of gas starts to spin and move downstream, therebycausing a constant procession of swirling volumes of gas movingdownstream from the outlet of the ozone conduit.

Most importantly, the continuing relatively slow velocity of the ozoneon the radially inner side of the spinning and swirling gas and therelatively high velocity of the propellant gas on the radially outerside of the spinning and swirling gas causes the volume of the spinningand swirling gas to enlarge as it moves downstream, thus explaining whyLS3 is larger than LS1, why LS5 is larger than LS3, and why LS6 is quitelarge. Tn the same manner, the volumes of gas on the right hand sidecontinue to enlarge, with RS6 being much larger than RS1.

The effect of this phenomenon, involving the spinning and swirl ing gas,is to cause ozone to be directed radially outward and cause propellantgas to be directed radially inward, resulting in the creation of ahighly desirable intimate mixture of ozone and propellant gas. As wehave depicted by certain of the small arrows in FIG. 3, some of theozone-gas mixture actually takes place in a reverse direction.

It should be understood that the creation of the spinning, swirlingvolumes of gas occurs in an ongoing manner, with each spinning andswirling volume of gas occupying only a small part of the perimeter ofthe space downstream from the ozone conduit's outlet, and then for onlya moment or two before it is washed downstream in the flowing gas.

With regard to point "X" in FIG. 3, it will be noted that it is locateda short distance downstream from the lip of the ozone conduit 32. It isexposed to the spinning and swirling volumes of gas described above asthey move downstream. By way of example, location or point X will beexposed in one instance to gas flowing radially inward, and an instantlater it will be exposed to gas flowing radially outward, as a spinningand swirling volume of gas passes over it. In a regularly recurringmanner, location or point X will be exposed to gas flowing inwardly andthen outwardly as the spinning and swirling volume of gas passes overthis location.

We have found the most desirable location for the outlet of the ozonesupply conduit 32 is in the center of the downstream flow of thepropellant gas just upstream of where the ozone supply conduit wouldhave been wetted by the liquid supplied to the propellant gas had theozone supply conduit ended at a location further downstream.

In summary, there is much turbulence downstream of the outlet of theozone conduit in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention. Theturbulence is most desirable because it causes the rapid dispersal ofthe ozone flowing out of the ozone conduit into the propellant gasflowing out of orifice 90. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that we haveutilized long dashed lines to connote an envelope EO to designate theregion within the flowing propellant gas wherein the turbulence leadingto the highly desirable mixture of ozone with the propellant gas takesplace. We call the region within this envelope the "Turbulent PropellantGas Region".

Tn the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the liquid isdrawn from the filming surface F into the propellant gas as thin ribbonsand threads. The thin ribbons and threads of liquid enter the TurbulentPropellant Gas Region just as they are about to break apart into fineliquid particles and are buffeted by the turbulence therein, therebybringing about, in a very dynamic manner, the thorough and intimatecontact of the ozone in the gas in the Turbulent Propellant Gas Regionwith the thin ribbons and threads of liquid as the ribbons and threadsof liquid are being drawn cut and broken into irregular fine particlesand the irregular fine particles are collapsing into spherical droplets.This results in the prompt absorption of the ozone by the liquid and thesubstantially complete removal of unabsorbed ozone from the propellantgas. The turbulence in the propellant gas where the drawing out andbreaking up of the threads of liquid into fine droplets occurs alsopromotes an even downstream distribution of the fine liquid particles inthe gas flowing out of the preferred embodiment of the instantinvention.

Turning now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that here we reveal to a somewhatlarger scale, the relationship of the ozone-emitting conduit 32 to thegas outlet, with this figure making clear that the propellant gas, whenflowing through the gas outlet, draws liquid from the filming surface Finto the propellant gas as ribbons and threads of liquid, which ribbonsand threads promptly enter the Turbulent Propellant Gas Region denotedby the long dashed lines of the envelope EO where ozone is present andwhere the ribbons and threads are shredded into fine particles that areevenly dispersed.

We have found that with the propellant gas flow drawing ozone from theozone-emitting conduit 32, and the prompt turbulent mixing of the ozonewith the propellant gas within the Turbulent Propellant Gas Regiondenoted by the long dashed lines of envelope EO, combined with the ozoneand propellant gas mixture within the Turbulent Propellant Gas Regioncoming into churning contact with such ribbons and threads of liquid asthe ribbons and threads are drawn out, shredded and collapse into finedroplets, results in the ozone being promptly absorbed into the fineliquid droplets. This also results in the substantial removal ofunabsorbed ozone from the propellant gas, thereby producing a mist ofozone-containing droplets in a propellant gas that is substantially freeof unabsorbed ozone, and thus ideally suited for introduction to air tobe purified.

It is thus to be seen that we purify air in accordance with thisinvention by flowing propellant gas through the a gas orifice, andflowing ozone through a conduit that terminates at or slightlydownstream of the orifice and in a central portion thereof, therebycreating turbulence in the flowing propellant gas downstream of theozone outlet, with this turbulence causing the ozone and some of thepropellant gas to become intimately mixed. The outlet of the gas orificeis surrounded with thin streams and ribbons of liquid being drawn intothe propellant gas and shattered into fine droplets by the propellantgas at a location that is within the turbulent ozone-propellant gasmixture. As a consequence of this advantageous arrangement, theozone-propellant gas mixture is brought into churning contact with thefine droplets as they are being formed, resulting in the promptabsorption of the ozone by the liquid droplets and the essentiallycomplete removal of unabsorbed ozone from the propellant gas, whichdroplets are dispersed into the air to be purified.

We have found that this arrangement is highly effective for thepurification of air in locations such as a pumping station for a sewersystem.

It should be understood means other than the preferred embodimentdescribed above may be used to supply the thin streams or filaments ofliquid in the propellant gas and that such means may comprise aplurality of propellant gas orifices.

We claim:
 1. A purification device utilizing ozone, said devicecomprising a body member having an internal passage through whichpropellant gas is constrained to flow under pressure, with said internalpassage forming an outlet at a downstream location in said body member,means in said internal passage for supplying limited quantities ofliquid into the propellant gas, with the introduction of the liquid intothe propellant gas causing thin ribbons and threads of liquid to flowinto and with the gas flowing out of said outlet and to break into fineparticles, an ozone supplying conduit disposed in a central location insaid outlet, with said conduit arranged to emit ozone into thepropellant gas at a location near said outlet and to create a turbulentpropellant gas region downstream of said ozone conduit, the propellantgas flowing around said ozone conduit at a substantial velocity and thusserving to induce the flow of ozone from said conduit, the position ofthe outlet of said ozone conduit with respect to the thin ribbons andthreads of liquid being such that the thin ribbons and threads of liquidenter the turbulent propellant gas region as the ribbons and threads arebeing shredded into fine particles, the ozone in the turbulentpropellant gas coming into intimate contact with the fine particles asthey are created and are collapsing into spherical droplets, thuspromoting the absorption of the ozone into the fine particles.
 2. Thepurification device utilizing ozone as recited in claim 1 in which theliquid is water, and the fine particles generated by said device areutilized for odor control.
 3. The purification device utilizing ozone asrecited in claim 1 in which the liquid is water, and the fine particlesgenerated by said device are collected in a sump.
 4. The purificationdevice utilizing ozone as recited in claim 1 in which the liquid is anacid into which metal has been dissolved.
 5. The purification deviceutilizing ozone as recited in claim 1 in which said liquid containsmetal ions.
 6. The purification device utilizing ozone as recited inclaim 5 in which the metal ions are removed from a solution by flowingthe solution through the instant device and collecting the liquid in asump, with the oxidized metal ions thereafter being precipitated out ofthe solution.
 7. The purification device utilizing ozone as recited inclaim 1 in which said means for supplying liquid into the propellant gasinvolves first and second closely spaced smooth surfaces, with an edgeof said first surface being disposed closely adjacent the propellant gasflowing through said gas outlet, with said second surface set back fromthe edge of said first surface such that a filming surface is defined onthe downstream side of said first surface, from which filming surfaceliquid is induced to enter the flow of propellant gas.
 8. Thepurification device utilizing ozone as recited in claim 7 in which saidozone conduit projects through said propellant gas outlet and terminatesdownstream in the propellant gas flow just upstream of where said ozoneconduit would be wetted by the limited quantities of liquid supplied tothe propellant gas.
 9. A purifying device utilizing ozone, said devicecomprising a body member having an internal passage through whichpropellant gas is constrained to flow, with said internal passageforming an outlet at a downstream location on said body member, anozone-supplying conduit disposed in a central location in the propellantgas, with said conduit arranged to emit ozone into the propellant gasnear said outlet, the propellant gas being pressurized so as to flowthrough said outlet and around said conduit at a substantial velocity,with the ozone being emitted from said outlet at a lesser velocity thanthe velocity of the propellant gas, the difference between thevelocities of the ozone and the propellant gas causing turbulence in thepropellant gas downstream of said conduit with resulting mixing of theozone with the propellant gas, the turbulent propellant gas and ozonemixture spinning and swirling and enlarging as it moves downstream,means for supplying relatively small quantities of liquid adjacent saidoutlet, the flow of propellant gas past said liquid-supplying meansdrawing liquid into the propellant gas as ribbons and threads of liquidthat are drawn out by the propellant gas and enter the propellantgas-ozone mixture where they are shredded into fine irregular particlesthat collapse into spherical droplets, the location of the outlet ofsaid conduit being such relative to the drawn out threads of liquid thatwhere the drawn out threads of liquid break apart into fine irregularparticles and collapse into spherical droplets is within the spinningand swirling mixture of propellant gas and ozone, with the ozone beingabsorbed into the fine liquid droplets.
 10. The purifying deviceutilizing ozone as recited in claim 9 in which the liquid is water, andthe fine particles generated by said device are utilized for odorcontrol.
 11. The purifying device utilizing ozone as recited in claim 9in which the liquid is water, and the fine particles generated by saiddevice are collected in a sump.
 12. The purifying device utilizing ozoneas recited in claim 9 in which the liquid is an acid into which metalhas been dissolved.
 13. The purifying device utilizing ozone as recitedin claim 9 in which said liquid contains metal ions.
 14. The purifyingdevice utilizing ozone as recited in claim 13 in which the metal ionsare removed from a solution by flowing the solution through the instantdevice and collecting the liquid in a sump, with the oxidized metal ionsthereafter being precipitated out of the solution.
 15. The purifyingdevice utilizing ozone as recited in claim 9 in which said means forsupplying liquid into the propellant gas involves first and secondclosely spaced smooth surfaces, with an edge of said first surface beingdisposed closely adjacent the propellant gas flowing through said gasoutlet, with said second surface set back from the edge of said firstsurface such that a filming surface is defined on the downstream side ofsaid first surface, from which filming surface liquid is induced toenter the flow of propellant gas.
 16. The purifying device utilizingozone as recited in claim 15 in which said ozone conduit projectsthrough said propellant gas outlet and terminates downstream in thepropellant gas flow just upstream of where said ozone conduit would bewetted by the limited quantities of liquid supplied to the propellantgas.